TThanks for a pleasant way to warm up my brain this heavy, humid morning. Of course, I want it all. But an excellent teller can engage me with a trifle. I may feel like I've OD'd on fried twinkies but I'll go for the ride. Whereas a poor teller can so irritate me that I cannot hear what is said. I've gone deep into fantasy or meditation.

Excellent thoughts, Tim. You're right about context being crucial. Of course I want to hear great stories from performance storytellers at festivals, and I'm thrilled to hear a heartfelt story from someone who doesn't tell stories as performance. For me, the story must stick with me. In part, that comes from a story being at the same time individual and universal. Oh, and I don't want to leave saying, "So what?" That's often what happens with personal stories. Also, I want the story to be key, not the storyteller. I watched a very theatrical storyteller this spring tell a personal story that was all about his on-stage antics. Can't remember what the story was about.

There's a lot more to think about here. Maybe I need to do another blog post on it. Thanks for another satisfying omelet.